Boiler feed water system



Sept. 23, 1941.' J. AMEN v BOILER FEED WATER SYSTEM Filed Aug. 8, 1939 ATTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 23, 1941 warren. srares rare or ies 6 Claims.

This invention relates to boiler feed water systems and more particularly to a system for supplying water to boilers of the type used for furnishing steam to garment pressing machines.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a boiler feed water system which will be automatic in its operation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a boiler feed water syste'm'in which the quantity of water supplied to the boiler will be automatically regulated by the quantity of water in the boiler.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a boiler feed water system in'which a tank is employed and in which the level of the water in the tank is utilized for controlling the supplying of water.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a boiler feed water system which will be simple in construction and automatic in its operation.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the annexed specification'and claims.

The nature and characteristic features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part hereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical central sectional view taken through a boiler and illustrating a preferred embodiment of the system of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical central sectional view taken through a portion of the valve mechanism employed with the system of the present invention and showing the valve in one position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing another position of the valve;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken approximately on the line i of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a rear elevational view of the valve mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4;

It will, of course, be understood that the description and drawing herein contained are illustrative merely, and that various modifications and changes may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention. I

Referring more particularly to the drawing in the particular embodiment of the invention therein shown the boiler is illustrated at H] and may be of any preferred type. The boiler as illustrated is provided with a lower tube sheet ll and an upper tube sheet l2 with a plurality of spaced tubes l3 extending therebetween for the passage upwardly through the tubes l3 of the flame and the hot gases from a burner (not shown) which is mounted in a burner space l4 below the lower tube sheet H.

The boiler H3 is also provided with an outer side wall portion I5 which may, if desired, be covered and insulated.

A tank I6 is provided and is preferably mounted above andsupported by the boiler It]. The outer wall portion ll of the tank 16 is preferably shaped to conform to the shape of the outer wall portion I5 of the boiler ID. The tank l6 preferably has a flue I8 extending centrally therethrough for the discharge to the stack (not shown) or to the atmosphere of the gases which have passed upwardly through the tubes H3. The hot gases by their contact with the bottom wall i9 of the tank It and with the flue l8 serve to preheat the water in the tank 16.

A float 20 which follows the level of the water in the tank It is preferably mounted within the tank It as hereinafter more fully referred to. The float 2!! may be of any desired type but preferably consists of a hollow metallic shell with a central opening 2! to accommodate the flue l8.

The tank 16 is preferably connected from the bottom thereof to the boiler H] by a pipe 25, the pipe 25 leading to the boiler It below the water level and preferably near the bottom.

The pipe 25 preferably has a check valve 26 therein for permitting downward flow from the tank I6 to the boiler Ill, but closing to prevent upward flow through the pipe 25 from the boiler ill to the tank l6.

Control valve mechanism is preferably mounted above the upper wall 21 of the tank It. The control valve mechanism is illustrated in Fig. 1 and portions thereof are shown in detail in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5. The control valve mechanism includes a valve casing 3i! which has a central tapered aperture 31 therein. The valve casing 313 preferably has a water supply pipe 33 connected thereto in communication with a port 34 opening into the aperture 3! and a port 35 diametrically opposite has a pipe 36 in communication therewith which leads into the tank It and which may extend into the lower portion thereof.

The valve casing 31! also preferably has a port 3'! opening into the aperture 3| and spaced from the port 34 and a pipe 38 leading thereto. The

pipe 38 preferably leads to the boiler Ill and the upper part of the opening of'the' pipe 38 is disposed at the normal water level of the boiler Ill.

The control valve casing 30 also has, a port 3% which is diametrically opposite the port 31 and which is connected by a passageway 40 in the valve casing 30 to a pipe 4|. The pipe 4| preferably encloses the pipe 36. The upper end of the pipe 4| is preferably threaded into the valve casing 35 and the lower end of the pipe 4| is threaded into the top wall 21 of the tank I6 so as to be in communication with the upper part of the space within the tank I6. The pipe 4| serves to support the valve casing 35.

The control valve casing 30 also preferably has a port 42 with a pipe 43 connected thereto and in communication with the atmosphere.

A control valve 45 mounted within the control valve casing 33 is provided and preferably has a passageway 46 extending therethrough for alinement respectively with the ports 34 and 35 and at the ends of the pipes 33 and 35, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and with the port 31 and the port 39, as illustrated in Fig. 3,

The valve member 45 also preferably has a groove 47 therein for connecting the port 42 at the end of the pipe 43 with the port 33 at the end of the pipe 4| as illustrated in Fig. 2, and for cutting oiT communication between the port 39 and the port 42, as illustrated in Fig. 3.

Operating mechanism is provided for the control valve 45 and preferably includes an actuating rod 58 connected to and movable by the float 20 within the tank IS. A stufiing box may be provided for the rod 50. A control lever 52 is provided and is preferably pivotally mounted at one end thereof, a bracket 53 carried by the upper'part of the tank l6 being provided. The other end of the lever 52 is slotted and is connected to the actuating rod 55 by a pin 54. valve operating arm 55 is secured to a stem 55 of the valve member 45 for rotating the valve member 45, as hereinafter more fully pointed out.

The arm 55 is limited in its movement to the position shown in Fig. 2 and to the position shown in Fig. 3 by suitable stop pins 51 carried by the control valve casing 35.

A spring 58, one end of which is secured to the contro1 lever 52 and the other end of which is connected to the operating arm 55 is provided for effecting a snap actuation of the control arm 55 so that the valve 45 is rapidly moved either to the position shown in Fig. 2 or to the position shown in Fig. 3 towards the end of the downward V or upward movement of the float 29.

The valve member is preferably held seated by a plate 59 which is threaded into the valve casing 30 on one side face of the valve member 45 and a set screw 65 is provided which is threaded in the valve casing 3|! and has its inner end 6| pointed for engagement in a complementally shaped opening in the valve member 45.

The arm' as illustrated in Fig. 5 may be provided with a hole 52 for alinement with an aperture 63 in the valve casing 35 for the insertion of a pin (not shown) for locking the valve member 45 in position midway between the positions shown respectively in Figs. 2 and 3 when the apparatus is not in use.

The mode of operation of the apparatus of the present invention will now be pointed out.

If it be assumed that the float 20 in the tank If; is in its uppermost position the valve member 45 will be in the position illustrated in Fig. 3. No water will then be supplied through the water pipe 33 since communication is cut off at this position of the valve member 45. If the water level in the boiler i0 drops so as to expose the end of the pipe 38 and permits steam or air to pass upwardly through the pipe 38 water will then be supplied downwardly through the pipe 25 until the level of the water within the boiler l0 rises to a position so that the lower end of the pipe 3% is again covered. Water will thus be supplied in this manner from the tank [6 to the boiler |0 until the water level in the tank I 6 falls to a position such that the float 20 moves downwardly to a location such-that the control lever 52 moves the spring 58 to a position where the arm 55 is snapped downwardly and the valve 45 moved to the position shown in Fig. 2. In this position of the valve 45 communication with the boiler l0 through the pipe 38 is cut oil. The pressure in the tank I6 is relieved through the pipe 4|, the passageway 40, and the port 39 in the valve casing 39, the groove 4'! in the valve member 45, and the port 42 and pipe 43 to the atmosphere.

The water pipe 33 is in communication with the tank l6 through the port 34 in the valve casing 30, the passageway 45 in the valve member 45, the port 35 and the pipe 36.

Water is supplied to the tank I6 and as the level in the tank l6 rises the float 20 is carried upwardly. The upward movement of the float 20 moves the control lever'52 and the spring 58 acting on the arm 55 moves the arm 55 at the upper position of the control lever 52 by a snap action. The valve 45 is thus again moved to the position shown in Fig. 3.

It will thus be seen that the supply of water to the boiler I0 is fully automatic and in accordance with the water level conditions prevailing in the boiler I0 and in the tank It, and that no attendance of the operator is necessary.

I claim:

1. A boiler feed water system including a boiler, a tank, a float in said tank, connections between said boiler and said tank, a water supply conduit, valve mechanism for controlling the supplying of water to said tank, and. operating connections including a spring operated snap actuation between said float and said valve mechanism, said operating connections providing for actuation of said valve from a position for supplying water through said conduit to said tank to a position for establishing communication between the upper portion of the tank and said boiler at the water level of the boiler.

2. A boiler feed water system including a boiler, a tank, a float in said tank, connections between said boiler and said tank, a water supply conduit, valve mechanism for controlling the supplying of water to said tank, and spring operated snap actuating connections between said float and said valve mechanism, said operating connections providing for actuation of said valve from a position for venting said tank and for supplying water through said conduit to said tank to a position for establishing communication between the upper portion of the tank and said boiler at the water level of the boiler.

3. Apparatus for controlling the supplying of water to a boiler, including a boiler, a tank at a higher level than said boiler, a conduit connecting the lower portion of said tank with the lower portion of said boiler, a conduit connecting the upper portion of said tank with said boiler, a water supply conduit, valve mechanism for controlling the flow of water through said conduit to said tank and for controlling communication through said second mentioned conduit, operating mechanism for said valve mechanism responsive to the water level in said tank, said operating mechanism including an actuating arm connected to said valve, a lever, a resilient connection between said arm and said lever, and a float in said tank connected to said lever.

4. Apparatus for controlling the supplying of water to a boiler, including a boiler, a tank at a higher level than said boiler, a conduit connecting the lower portion of said tank with the lower portion of said boiler, a conduit connecting the upper portion of said tank with said boiler, a water supply conduit, valve mechanism for controlling the flow of water through said conduit to said tank and for controlling communication through said second mentioned conduit, operating mechanism for said valve mechanism responsive to the water level in said tank, said operating mechanism including a float in said tank and a spring impelled snap actuation operated by said float.

5. Apparatus for controlling the supplying of water to a boiler including a boiler, a tank connected to said boiler, valve mechanism for controlling the flow of water to said tank, operating means for said valve mechanism responsive to the level of the water in said tank, said valve mechanism including a casing and a valve member within said casing, said casing having a pair of ports for controlling the flow of water to said tank and having another pair of ports for controlling the communication between said boiler at the water level thereof and the upper portion of said tank, said valve member having a pas:

sageway for alternatively connecting said pairs of ports.

6. Apparatus for controlling the supplying of water to a boiler, including a boiler, a tank connected to said boiler, valve mechanism for controlling the flow of water to said tank, operating means for said valve mechanism responsive to the level of the water in said tank, said valve mechanism including a casing and a valve member within said casing, said casing having a pair of ports for controlling the flow of water to said 

